Plastic has shaped our daily lives like no other material: from packaging to footwear, from household goods to furniture, from cars to architecture.

A symbol of carefree consumerism and revolutionary innovation, plastic has spurred the imagination of designers for decades. Today, the dramatic consequences of the plastic boom have become obvious, and plastic has lost its utopian appeal. Never has it been more important to understand the 150-year history of this contested material, known to be essential yet superfluous, life-saving and life-threatening, seductive yet dangerous.

Plastic: Remaking Our World examines the history and the future of this controversial material. From its early origins when it was intended as a sustainable alternative to natural resources, to its meteoric rise in the twentieth century.

The exhibition features product design, graphics, architecture and fashion from the collections of the V&A and Vitra Design Museum, as well as collections all over the world. This is the first exhibition produced and curated by V&A Dundee, the Vitra Design Museum and maat, Lisbon, with curators from V&A South Kensington.

On 21 – 26 November, aligning with European Week for Waste Reduction, Zero Waste Scotland and Transition Dundee will be on hand in Plastic Lab to answer your questions about sustainability, plastic and how you can reduce, reuse, and recycle. From bin myth busting to single use plastic spotting, they will be hosting fun, informative, and interactive games for all and giving tips on how to live more ‘circular’ lifestyles which are better for the planet and your pocket.